Laminate Flooring

You have probably heard of laminate flooring or perhaps you know it by its other name, 'floating wood tile' and no doubt you already know something about it i.e. it looks very much like real wood or stone.

Love it or loath it, it is simple and quick to install, easy to maintain and is a less expensive option to hardwood which, could leave you with more money in your budget to buy other items.

There are many manufacturers of laminate flooring therefore, the design, look, feel and the quality will vary as well as price. Make sure you weigh up all your options before finalizing.

In the image of the living room below, a dark walnut color has been used. As much as I work with a wide variety of wood types, mid-toned walnut is my personal favorite.

How fabulous does the grey laminate flooring in the image below look? The balance between room proportion and furniture blended with a touch of nature suggests that the room has been styled on contemporary, Japanese interior design. It is perfectly harmonious.

Floating wood tile is exceptionally durable compared to wood which can deflect, dent and scratch. The top layer is extremely hard wearing which allows manufacturers to offer a very generous warranty. Some offer ten years plus. Excellent.

As hardwood is milled from many trees, there is often a mix of grain, color and it is possible to find imperfections that render the occasional plank unusable however, there are no bad pieces found in laminate flooring. This means that no money is wasted from your budget.

The hallway shown below resembles the white-washed look that is commonly associated with nautical interior design or shabby chic interiors.

Floating Wood Tiles:

OAK

WALNUT

BEECH

CHERRY

PINE

MAPLE

No waxing, staining or varnishing is necessary. To clean, just vacuum or mop with a damp cloth and it looks as good as new for a very long time.

The choice is huge therefore take your time to look through a variety of finishes until you are quite sure which is right for you.

The living room in the above image is finished with an oak effect and is stained to mid tones. You can see how genuine it looks. Some people are bothered that it is not actually real wood however, the benefits out weigh anything negative.

The example of the super, straight lined planks with wide seams, is a fantastic look for a kitchen and also looks fabulous in minimalistic interior design styled homes.

It is perfectly ok to choose laminate flooring for both kitchens and bathrooms as it is resistant to high moisture levels however, it will be compromised should there be pools of water pouring into the joints. If you are unsure, it may be better to opt for a vinyl flooring or tile.

When I was at university, I moved into an apartment with a fellow design student. We were both ambitious and took great delight in renovating and trying out new styles and innovative ideas. Some decisions were a big hit and others, needless to say were a bit of a miss.

Those years were fun, vibrant and informative! The errs of our youthful ideas inspired some fantastic new ways of thinking therefore, I can assure you that in the end, no mistakes were actually made. Each new idea and effort only gave rise to a better understanding of what works and what works even better! Hence I get to share lots of information and many solutions with you.

One of the floor finishes was a bamboo laminate flooring. It looked amazing however, thankfully we were on the ground floor level since one of the things about this type of floor finish is that it can be fairly noisy when walked over. It was sensational!

So I thought I would share a trip down memory lane photo with you. On the right, is me, in that very apartment (having breakfast before heading out to a lecture).

Why do all students, look like students? Anyway, you can just about see a portion of my 'then flooring'.

Happy days.

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